Dress shield



Dec. 28, 1943. L. K. FLOCKS DRESS SBIELD Filed Dec. 15, 1939 L-OGKS Patenteol Dec. 28, 1943 Unit OFFECE DRESS SHIELD 2 Claims.

This invention relates to ladies dress shields such as are customarily associated with the armholes, sleeves, and bo-dices of ladies dresses in order to prevent injury to a dress from perspiration. More particularly the invention relates to dress shields of a character which do not interfere with the side openings in the bodices even though they extend almost unto the armpit nor do the shields, in accordance with the invention, show beyond the sleeve even though the sleeve be very short.

Prior to the instant invention it has been customary to provide dress shields having a bodice element and a sleeve element joined together along a curve corresponding to the lower portion of the armhole of a ladys dress with the bodice portion and the sleeve portion of the shield of equal length and of unbroken area. These shields have been incapable of universal use because of interference with the sid openings in ladies dresses when the side openings extend up high under the armpit. Conventional dress shields are usually tacked into the dress at two or more points along the armhole and then tacked into the bodice and sleeve at the ends. Accordingly, when the side opening of the bodice is opened such as by sliding down a zipper or unhooking the fastener as the case may be and the dress slipped over the wearers head into position and then the zipper moved to its closed position or hooks in the side openin of the dress closed, interference with the dress shield occurs if the dress shield is tacked to the bodice at its lowest point as it should be, or if it is not so tacked the wearer is uncomfortable in view of the shifting and rubbing of the lower portion of the shield against the wearers body. When prior conventional shields are tacked down, the side opening in the bodice of the dres cannot be opened completely as is essential when the dress is slipped over the wearers head and onto the wearers body. Particularly is this essential when dresses incorporating the new wasp waist are to be worn.

Prior shields have been made with the bodice element and sleeve element of equal length and have been incapable of universal use particularly with dresses where the sleeves are very short such as in formal daytime dresses and dinner dresses.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a ladys dress shield capable of universal use with dresses having sleeves of very short length or dresses having long sleeves.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a ladys dress shield capable of universal use with dresses having relatively long side bodice openings, which shields involve no more material than conventional shields and are relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a ladys dress showing a dress shield in accordance with the invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the interior of a bodice having a portion of a shield in accordance with the invention associated therewith;

3 is a view in perspective of a dress shield in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a dress shield in accordance with the invention which dress shield has the bodice element longer than the sleeve element.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the dress it! is of the type incorporating a relatively narrow waist I I known as the wasp waist and a bodice l2 having a side opening adapted to be closed by the closure [3 extending from the upper portion of the hip area M of the dress it) to a point [5 just below the armpit Id. The closure 13 for the bodice l2 may be of the slide fastener, hook and eye, or other type. The sleeves I! of the dress ill may be relatively short as shown in Fig. 1 or the dress it may have long sleeves, not shown.

The dress shield 26 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 may be tacked to the armhole at points 2i and 22 and the bodice element 23 thereof may be tacked at points 25 and 25 on each inner side of the bodice opening 13. The sleeve element 26 of the shield 20 may be tacked to the inner side of the sleeve at the point 21.

The shield 2i] may be made of any suitable material such as cotton, silk, or synthetic materials, or combinations of both natural and synthetic fabrics, or the shield may be of laminated construction including the fabrics mentioned, and it may also include rubber or rubberized sheeting. The shield 29 may be stitched along its edges as at 29 as shown and along the edges of the slit 3B which extends from the lowermost portion of the bodice element 23 upwardly in a direction toward the armpit 16. This slit 3!] may be extended all the way up to the armpit IE5 or stop short thereof as shown in the drawing. As will be readily understood, the slit 363 Cooperates with the closure 13 in the bodice l2 to permit full opening of the side of the bodice without interference with the tacking of the shield thereto, thereby permitting and facilitating the associating of the dress ID with the body of the wearer.

In Figs. 1 and 4 the sleeve element 26 has been illustrated as being relatively short as compared with the bodice element 23 whereby the shield is capable of universal use with dresses that have very short leeves as well as with dresses that have very long sleeves.

In Fig. 3 the shield 2%) has a sleeve element 26 of the same length as the bodice element 23' but has associated with the bodice element 23 the finished slit 3B. The shield 26 may be made of the same material as the shield 20 and have stitching 29' along its exterior edges and the edges of the slit 3d. The shield 29 may be associated with a dress in the same manner that the shield 20 is associated with the dress 19.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the invention involves the provision of dress shields capabie of universal use with dresses having very high side bodice openings as well as dresses which have relatively low or no bodice openings and with dresses which have relatively short sleeves as well as dresses which have long sleeves, and that further the dress shields in accordance with the instant invention cooperate with dresses which have relatively high side bodice openings and do not interfere with the complete opening of the sides of the bodices as is essential particularly with dresses which have very narrow or wasp waists.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a dress having a, bodice and a sleeve, said bodice formed with a side opening extending up toward the junction of the sleeve with the bodice, a dress shield secured to said dress and having a bodice element and a sleeve element, said bodice element associated with said bodice, said sleeve element associated with said sleeve, said bodice element being at least partially vertically separated to provide at least two parts, whereby one part may cooperate with said bodice on one side of said bodice opening and the other part may cooperate with said bodice on the other side of said opening, and said bodice opening may be opened substantially completely without interference with said shield.

2. A dress shield comprising a bodice element and a sleeve element, said elements being connected in a concave arm-pit edge and having otherwise free edges, said bodice element being provided with a slit of substantial length extending from its free edge toward said concave edge in a line intersecting said concave edge, the opposed edges of said slit being normally in substantial engagement for providing a bodice element uninterrupted except for said slit.

LORRAINE K. FLOCKS. 

